2014 Batard Montrachet

Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting, the 2014 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru from Bachelet-Monnot has a clean and precise bouquet: cold stone/flint, hints of apple blossom and a subtle marine influence that becomes more prominent with aeration. The palate is very well balanced with a fine bead of acidity. This feels harmonious and very poised, displaying just a minor reduction but persistence on the finish, that salty tang of oyster shell lingering in the mouth. However, with aeration it seems to lose a bit of its initial precision and mineralité, especially on the finish. That said, this is still rockin' good Bâtard-Montrachet.

(13.1% alcohol): Very subtle, pure aromas of white peach, hawthorn and white pepper are complemented by a nutty nuance. Thick but racy on entry, then highly concentrated and sharply delineated but very backward, conveying a powerful impression of dry extract. Less fruity than the Folatières but powerful, bone-dry and classic--and built to age.

Sweet start. Big and bold and very Bâtard. Not flabby at all. But perhaps not at this stage incontrovertibly demonstrating why it deserves such a price premium. Though it has great weight and pzazz. One to watch? (JR)